Storing in the Fridge
Fill a jar with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of water. Use a jar that’s large enough around to hold all the scallions you want to store. If you are storing a lot of scallions, you may need to use more than 1 jar. You won’t need the lid to the jar, so set it aside somewhere you won’t lose it.
Place the scallions standing up in the jar of water. The roots of the scallions (the white ends of the stalks) should be down in the water. The other ends of the scallion stalks should be coming up out of the top of the jar. If the water in the jar doesn't come up all the way to the top of the roots, add more water.
Cover the scallions in the jar with a plastic sandwich bag. Open the bag and turn it upside down so the open end is facing down. Then, place the bag over the top of the scallions, so the stalks go into the opening in the bag. Pull the bag down all the way so it goes over the sides of the jar. It’s OK if the bag doesn’t go all the way to the bottom of the jar.
Place the jar of scallions in the fridge for up to a week. If you store them any longer, they may lose their crunchy texture. When you’re ready to use the scallions, take them out of the fridge and chop the stalks up into small pieces.
Freezing
Soak the scallions in 5 parts water and 1 part white vinegar, then rinse. Washing the scallions before freezing them is especially important if they’re fresh from your garden. Fill a large bowl with the water and vinegar and place the scallions in it. Let them soak for a few minutes before you rinse them off in the sink.
Chop the scallions into small pieces. That way they’ll be ready to use when you take them out of the freezer. Lay the scallions flat on a cutting board and cut off the roots with a sharp knife. The roots are the white parts at the ends of the stalks. Then, bring the knife from one end of the stalks to the other, making swift cuts through the scallions every .25 inches (0.64 cm) or so.
Spread the chopped scallions on a small, lined baking sheet. Use a baking sheet that can fit in your freezer. Line it with parchment paper so the scallions don’t stick to the metal. Freezing the scallions on a baking sheet first will prevent them from clumping together in the freezer.
Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove the baking sheet. It’s OK if they’re not completely frozen yet.
Transfer the scallions into a sealable freezer bag. Open the bag and use a spatula to slide the scallion pieces off the baking sheet and into the bag. Once all the scallions are in the bag, use your hands to press excess air out from the bag and then seal it. Write the date on the plastic bag so you know how long the scallions have been frozen for. If you don’t have a sealable freezer bag, put the scallions in an empty water bottle with the cap on instead.
Freeze the scallions until you’re ready to cook with them. Frozen scallions lose their crunchy texture, so avoid putting them on salads or other recipes without cooking them first. To use your frozen scallions, simply remove them from the freezer bag and add them to the dish you’re cooking. Frozen scallions can last up to a year in the freezer.
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